Research

Research and development projects in Laboratory Medicine are aimed primarily at establishing new or improved methodologies and procedures for clinical laboratory testing. The department has successfully developed and implemented new test procedures resulting in shorter turnaround times and cost effectiveness. Evaluation of prototypes for new analytic instruments is also a large part of this effort. Support of these programs is obtained from outside sources, primarily governmental agencies in the form of grants and also through private organizations.

The research objective in Clinical Chemistry is to develop and validate the clinical utility of cancer diagnostic tests.

The following projects are in progress:

Implementation of new tumor marker tests which will improve programs for the early detection of prostate cancer

Planning to implement a pilot study for the early detection of ovarian cancer

Planning to evaluate a panel of tumor tests that may aid in the early detection of lung cancer

Other diagnostic tests in development are aimed at improving the prognostic assessment of breast cancer patients and to improve the selection of chemotherapeutic drugs and monitor their effectiveness